EC will look into Slovak tenders involving EU Star company

The European Commission is going to examine suspicious public procurements of external management of projects involving European Union funds won by the firm EU Star.

The European Commission is going to examine suspicious public procurements of external management of projects involving European Union funds won by the firm EU Star.

Out of the total of 70 tenders in which EU Star participated. It won all 70 of them, the Sme daily wrote in its August 27 issue. The due tenders were held during the first government of Prime Minister Robert Fico; and before the tenders were held, Smer manager general and interim Labour Minister Ján Richter recommended party members to use only the services of EU Star, Sme wrote.

Shirin Wheeler, the spokeswoman for Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn, told Sme that the EC will ask Slovak authorities for information and then analyse it. Nevertheless, the Commission says that the responsibility for drawing of EU-funds lies with the member states. Both the police and the prosecution failed to say whether they will look into the suspicious procurements.

The study that pointed at the flaws in this public procurement claims that a complaint will be filed with the Slovak Public Procurement Office (ÚVO) and the European anti-fraud office (OLAF). The author of the study is Ivo Kuhn of the M.R. Štefánik Conservative Institute and deputy chairman of the OKS party, Sme wrote. The Agriculture Ministry which is in charge of the Regional Operational Programme has declined to comment on the case.

The mayors and regional government representatives say they are satisfied with the consultancy services of EU Star, according to Sme.

(Source: Sme)Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reportsThe Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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